Gina Rinehart threatens legal action against ABC over TV skit

Gina Rinehart is threatening to launch legal action against the ABC over a TV skit aired by the public broadcaster which the country’s richest person claims poses a “serious risk” to her.

The skit in question came during a July 12 episode of Race Around the World, in which a contestant, Kate McGuinness, referenced Rinehart.

“When the revolution comes, will you hide under the bed or will you know exactly how to shove a stick right up Gina Rinehart’s butt hole, stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, to make one big sausage roll to make something out of nothing,” she said.

Rinehart’s company, Hancock Prospecting, said it wrote to the ABC Board and asked for the content to be removed from all platforms, to publicly apologise and to investigate how the content was aired on July 23.

“One week has now elapsed,” the company wrote in a statement on Friday.

“The ABC’s Board and senior management have provided no substantive public response, nor any substantive response to Hancock or Mrs Rinehart, and have taken no steps to remove the material from ABC platforms, despite widespread public condemnation and the serious risks its publication and continued publication pose to Mrs Rinehart.”

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Pauline Hanson pictured poolside with Gina Rinehart at luxury Sicilian hotel

Hancock said it has now placed the heads of ABC chair Kim Williams, deputy chair Lisa Caffery and managing director High Marks on notice of criminal and civil laws.

An ABC spokesperson said it has received correspondence from Rinehart’s lawyers and will respond in due course.

The ABC has not taken down the Race Around the World episode in question.

Instead, it has forwarded audience complaints to the ABC Ombudsman to independently review.

“The ABC Ombudsman is independently reviewing audience complaints in relation to the 12 July Race Around the World episode in accordance with the ABC’s complaints handling process,” an ABC spokesperson said.

McGuinness has issued an apology for her remarks.

“The sense of humour featured in each of my films on the Race Around The World program is farcical,” she said.

“In no way was it my intention to promote violence. My writing is cartoonish and always satirical.

“Unfortunately, jokes do not land with everyone. Its purpose was never to be taken literally. I apologise to anyone I’ve offended.”